1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a game apparatus which displays moving picture images during execution of a video game, a method of displaying the same and a game program product recorded on a computer readable recording medium.
2. Description of Related Art
In the TV game machine, image processing has come to carry very large weight to enhance commodity value, due to recent development of computer graphics technology. Various image processing technologies are employed in recent games for real time display of successive changes in attribute such as positions, shapes, sizes, colors, etc. of display target objects appearing on a display screen.
The first technology employed is to prepare polygons for a target object (e.g., smoke) which will change in its attribute in real time, to change coordinates of vertexes of those polygons appropriately, if necessary, and to map a texture representative of smoke to each polygon.
The second technology employed is called full animation where multiple temporally successive images are prepared beforehand, and these images are replaced and displayed, successively in real time. This technology is the same as the technology employed for displaying animation in a movie or a television. Successive movement of an object is represented by a set of screen images obtained by dividing the successive movement in units of frames. For instance, moving picture images are displayed by replacing them successively frame by frame in units of {fraction (1/60)} second. Hereafter, the technology of representing a moving picture by successively replacing a series of images therefor will be called xe2x80x9cmoviexe2x80x9d.
According to the first technology, it is necessary to increase the number of polygons constituting a display target object, such as smoke, if successive changes of the display target object are to be displayed realistically. So, the amount of calculation of movement of the polygons and the amount of processing required for texture mapping increase. As a result, there is a possibility that other processing required for continuation of a video game cannot be executed within a time period predetermined for renewal of display images.
The second technology has an advantage in that it requires a comparatively small processing load. However, each of the images used for the movie is displayed on the entire screen. So, a player is forced to take a standpoint of a spectator, while the movie is reproduced. Such technology is not suitable for a game apparatus which is required to execute interactive operations with a player.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a game apparatus which can display moving picture images in a manner which will result in improvements with real time display and interactive operations, a method of displaying the same, and a game program product recorded on a computer readable recording medium.
To achieve the object, the game apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a CD-ROM recording a game program and movie data used at execution of the game program; and a CPU for reading the game program from the CD-ROM, for executing a game, for reading the movie data from the CD-ROM, and for displaying a movie. Control by the CPU includes: placing a predetermined face image object in a virtual space; and specifying, in polygon units, a region of which expression should be changed within the placed face image object. Control by the CPU further includes: reading movie data predetermined in correspondence to the specified region and recorded in the CD-ROM, for representing change in expression of the specified region; and mapping a movie based on the read movie data to the specified region as a texture, and causing expression of the specified region to be changed and displayed.
According to the present invention, it is possible to map a movie as a texture to a region of which expression should be changed within a face image object placed in a virtual space provided in a game. The mapping is executed based on movie data representing change in expression of the region. So, it is possible to make expression of the face of the object more realistic. Especially when the physical form of the region needs to be changed, it is possible to display the change in the form of the region smoothly by using the movie. Both eyes and their surroundings, for instance, can be effectively used as a region of which expression should be changed. Or, a mouth and its surroundings may be used.
Preferably, the specified region is at least part of a face object of a moving object comprised of polygons. The control by the CPU further includes causing a position on a display screen of the specified region, following movement of the moving object. As a result, it is possible to display change in a physical form of the specified region within the face of a moving object of a game character, etc. without difficulty, and expression of the region can be changed independently of movement of the moving object.
To be specific, the control by the CPU further includes storing the movie data as read from the CD-ROM into a memory which has multiple areas for storing data, while switching the areas in the course of reading the movie data. The mapping includes mapping the movie to the specified region as a texture, based upon the movie data as stored in one of the areas as switched by the switching. As a result, storing and reading of movie data can be executed to different memory areas in parallel, and expression of the region specified in the face can be changed successively.
A method of displaying a movie according to the present invention is executed by reading a game program from a CD-ROM which stores the game program and movie data used at execution of the game program, executing a game, reading the movie data and causing a movie to be displayed. The method comprises: placing a predetermined face image object in a virtual space; and specifying, in polygon units, a region of which expression should be changed within the placed face image object. The method further includes reading movie data predetermined in correspondence to the specified region and recorded in the CD-ROM, for representing change in expression of the specified region; and mapping a movie based on the read movie data to the specified region as a texture, and causing expression of the specified region to be changed and displayed. As a result, the movie can make expression of the region specified in the object of the face image more realistic. Especially when the physical form of the region needs to be changed, it is possible to display the change in the form of the region smoothly by using the movie. Both eyes and their surroundings, for instance, can be effectively used as such a region. Or, a mouth and its surroundings may also be used.
Preferably, the specified region is at least part of a face object of a moving object comprised of polygons. The method further comprises causing a position on a display screen of the specified region, following movement of the moving object. As a result, it is possible to display change in a physical form of the specified region within the face of a moving object of a game character or so, without difficulty, and expression of the region can be changed independently of movement of the moving object.
To be specific, the method further comprises: storing the movie data as read from the CD-ROM into a memory which has multiple areas for storing data, while switching the areas in the course of reading the movie data. The mapping includes mapping the movie to the specified region as a texture, based upon the movie data stored in one of the areas as switched by the switching. As a result, storing and reading of movie data can be executed to different memory areas in parallel, and expression of the specified region within the face can be changed successively.
A game program product according to the present invention is recorded on a computer readable recording medium which stores a game program and movie data to be used during execution of the game program. The game program is programmed so as to cause a computer to execute: placing a predetermined face image object in a virtual space; and specifying in polygon units, a region of which expression should be changed within the placed face image object. The game program is further programmed so as to cause a computer to execute: reading movie data predetermined in correspondence to the specified region and recorded in the CD-ROM, for representing change in expression of the specified region; and mapping a movie based on the read movie data to the specified region as a texture, and causing expression of the specified region to be changed and displayed.
By executing the game program recorded in the recording medium by a computer, expression of the specified region of the face image object can be changed. Especially when the physical form of the region needs to be changed, it is possible to display the change in the form of the region smoothly by using the movie. Both eyes and their surroundings, for instance, can be effectively used as a region of which expression should be changed. Or, a mouth and its surroundings may also be used.
Preferably, the specified region is at least part of a face object of a moving object comprised of polygons. The game program is further programmed so as to cause a computer to execute: causing a position on a display screen of the specified region, following movement of the moving object. As a result, it is possible to display change in a physical form of a region designated in the face of a moving object of a game character or so without difficulty, and expression of the region can be changed independently of movement of the moving object.
To be specific, the game program is further programmed so as to cause a computer to execute: storing the movie data as read from the CD-ROM into a memory which has multiple areas for storing data, while switching the areas in the course of reading the movie data. The mapping includes mapping the movie to the specified region as a texture, based upon the movie data stored in one of the areas as switched by the switching. As a result, storing and reading of movie data can be executed to different memory areas in parallel, and expression of the region specified in the face can be changed successively.